A week ago, the Auditor-General of SA (AG), Tsakani Maluleke, briefed the portfolio committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs on the consolidated general report on local government audit outcomes for 2022/23.

In a statement after the briefing, the AG reported that only 34 of the country’s 257 metropolitan, district and local municipalities received clean audit outcomes. Outcomes of the audit indicate that there are 110 unqualified with findings, 90 qualified with findings, six adverse findings and 14 disclaimed with findings. At least three audits are outstanding...